The newest Ferrari to arrive in North America — the 458 Italia — was auctioned off at a special fundraiser last month to benefit the Catholic Medical Mission Board’s relief work in Haiti.

Ferrari North America chose the faith-based international health care provider as one of the recipients of its March 18 fundraising gala in Los Angeles, which drew Hollywood celebrities such as singer John Mayer and Oscar-nominated actor Jeremy Renner. The 458 Italia, which is expected to retail for a cool $250,000 when it’s released later this year, went for $530,000. The name of the highest bidder was not released. Overall, the event raised $601,000 for CMMB and the William J. Clinton Foundation.

CMMB, which is committed to raising $50 million for Haiti’s recovery, will put the funds toward medical aid in the country. Since the Jan. 12 earthquake, the nonprofit organization has sent more than 235 medical volunteers to the Caribbean nation and has raised more than $17 million in emergency aid.

Do you know the true reason for the Easter season?

Happy Easter! Here’s a pop quiz for you:

At Easter, we celebrate...

A. Springtime and the blooming of flowers and trees

B. The resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

C. The coming of the Easter Bunny

If you chose anything other than B., then we here at OSV should hang up our hats. Yet a recent Barna Group survey found that only 42 percent of American adults identified Easter’s meaning correctly. What’s more concerning is that just 37 percent of Catholics identified Jesus’ resurrection as the meaning of Easter. In general, 51 percent of Protestants made that link.

What does this mean for those of us who know the true reason for Easter? That we all must do a better job of spreading the Good News, so people can understand why Jesus died — and rose — for us. We can start with the people in the pews around us on this glorious Easter Day.

Mass appeal

Last month, Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan wrote a letter to the faithful of New York, urging them to return to Sunday Mass. As part of the letter, he offered the faithful who do keep the Sabbath holy these tips on what to say to those who make excuses for not going:

◗ “Sunday is our only free time together.” (Great, what better way to spend that time than by praying together at Mass).

◗ “I pray my own way.” (Nice idea. But, odds are, you don’t).

◗ “The sermon is boring.” (You may have a point).

◗ “I hate all the changes at Mass.” (see below)

◗ “I want more changes at Mass.” (see above)

◗ “Until the Church makes some changes in its teaching, I’m staying away.” (But, don’t we go to Mass to ask God to change us, not to tell God how we want him and his Church to change to suit us?)